Fabric-testing machine



4 1 632 591 June 1 2 c. L. DENNIS FABRIC TESTING MACHINE 7 Filed May-11.1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENIOR 61L. Benn L8 ATTORNEYS t 1,6 2,5 1 June14,1927. I cwL. DENNIS 3 9 FABRIC TESTiNG MACHINE Filed May 11. 1926 2sheets sheet 2 ATTORNEYS Patented June 14, 1927.

UNITED STATES CALVIN DENNIS, OF GLEN RIDGE, NEW JERSEY.

FABRIC-TESTING MACHINE.

Application filed. May 11,

This invention relates to'testing machines. The principal object of thepresent invention is the provision of a machine for testing the wearresisting qualities of divers products such as textiles, thread, yarnand others which in being utilized are subjected to wear. Another objectof the present invention is to provide a testing machine adapted tosubject a piece of fabric to frictional action, and by registering theextent of such frictional action so that comparative tests as to thewear resisting qualities of different fabrics may be made.

Another, object of the invention is the pro- -'vision in a fabrictesting machine of means for subjecting a piece of fabricto frictionalaction, and means for imparting movement to the portion of the fabricbeing subjected with respect to the means setting up the frictional orwearing action. 1

With the foregoing and other objects in view the invention resides inthe. particular provision, construction and operation of the parts.distinguishing features and advantages will appear when the followingspecification is lit) read in connection with the accompanying drawings,in which Figure 1 is'a perspective view of the machine-of the presentinvention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view illustrating certain features of themachine, the section being taken on the line 22 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is a plan view illustratingcertain features of the machine. Fig.4 is an elevation of the combined clamp and weight used for tensioning.

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view illustrating certain features of the meansfor controlling the operation of the power mechanism.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the, control device for controlling theoperation of the power mechanism; 1

Generally stated, the machine of the present invention com rises awearing means, su porting means or supporting a piece of fa ric orthelike .in place with respect to the wearing means, tensioning means formaintaining a portion of the fabric in contact with the wearing means tobe subjected to frictional or wearing action, ineans im parting movementto the portion of the fabric being subjected to the frictional orwearifig ,action, power mechanism for actuating the wearing means, and aregistering or indicating means which registers or indicates The natureof the invention and its 1926 Serial No. 108,386.

the machine may be used fortesting other products such as leather,cordage, thread, yarn, etc. j

More specifically stated the machine 111 the illustrated embodimentconsists of and operates in a' inanner presently to be de scribed. Asuitable base '10 is provided to which is secured supports 11 eachhaving a bearing 12 which, rotatably supports a. shaft 13 which ishorizontally disposed. Wearing means is provided and in the presentinstance is in the form of a roll 14 which is secured to the-shaft 13 torotate there- \vith,'and the said roll has a cylindrical abrasivesurface 15. Rising from the base 10 arestationary supports 16 and 17,each of NVhlCll has a horizontally disposed Supporting bar 18. a The bar18 of the support 17, is provided with guide members 19. The supports 16and 17 are arranged respectively at opposite sides of the roll 14: asshown most clearly in Figs. 2 and 3. The sup porting bars 18 serve forsupportin a piece of fabric in place'with respect to the cylindricalabrasive surface 15, the fabric being designated 20, In order tomaintain a por-l tion, of the fabric in contact with the surface 15under a predetermined tension there is provided atensioning means,which, in the present instance, consists of a clamping device 21 whichclamps one end of thepiece of fabric 20 and a combined clamp and weight22 which is suspended from the other end of the piece of fabric. Thedeviee21 comprises a part 23' pivotally mounted as at clearly in'Fig. 2.The combined clamp and weight 22 consists of a part 28 to the lugs 29 ofwhich a clamping member 30 is pivotally connected as at 31, the clampingmem- 24, and a part 25 which v is pivotally'conber having a serratedportion 32 which engages a portion of the fabric and clamps it againstthe part 28 as shown most clearly in Fig. 2, t ere being a weight 33whic is detachably connected to the part 28 by the use of'a fasteningelement 34. In the present instance one weight member 22 is shown, butobviously any number of these members may be used so as to alter thetension on the fabric.

Power mechanism is provided for rotating the roll 14, and in t e presentinstance includes an electric motor 35 mounted on the base 10. Motion istransmitted from the drive shaft of the motor to the shaft 13 by theintervention of a small pulley 36 on t e drive shaft of the motor, alarge pllley 37 on the shaft 13, and a driving 1t 38 which encircles thepulleys 36 and 37. It will-now be understood that rotary motion will beim arted to the roll- 14 and g as a result the sur ace 15 will set up aweara construction of insul ing action on a portion of the fabric 20.

n order to impart movement toa ortion of the fabric with respect to thea rasive surface 15 so that a wearing action on the fillin threads aswell as the warp threads 0 the fabric will be set up, there is providedan oscillator 39, the lower end of which is pivotally connected as at 40to the base, the up er end of which is bifurcated to provide rc'ations41 which engage a portion of the fabric 20 as shown most clearly in Fig.3. The oscillator 39 is oscillated by virtue of motion transmissionmeans arranged between the shaft 13 and said oscillator, said means inthe present instance consisting of a worm 42 kc ed to the shaft 13, aworm gear 43 keye to a shaft 44 rotatably mounted in bearings 45 carriedrespectively b supports 46 secured to and rising from t e base 10, adisk 47 on the shaft 44, and a itman 48 arranged between the disk and te oscillator 39. It will now be apparent that when the motor is-operatinto rotate the roll 14 the oscillator 39 w' also be in operation toimpart reciprocatory movement to the portion of the fabric in contactwith the abrasive surface 15.

In order to cease the operation of the motor when the fabric is wornthrough as a result of the frictional or wearing action set up, there isprovided an electrical controlling device 49 which is electricallyconnected in series with the windings of the motor 35. The device 49includes a base I material in the bottom ofwhich is arranged contacts 51each under the influenceof a spring 52 to yieldmglx hold the contacts 51normagy elev'ated. bridge piece 53 is provid and ism-ranged formovementin guides 54 carried r ectively by the sides of the base 50. Thebridge piece 58 is pivotally connected to a button 55 arranged in thetop of the base 50, there bein a spring 56 WhlCh functions to hold theridge piece 53 normally out of contact with the contacts 51. One of thecontacts 51 is connected to one side of the motor 35 and the othercontact 51 is connected to one side of the source of electrical energy,the other side of which is connected to the motor as shown most clearlyin Fig. 5. The circuit also includes a switch 57 for opening and closingthe circuit. It will now be apparent that when a piece of fabric is inplace for carrying out the testing operation, the part 23 of the device'21 will be pressmg downwardly on the button 55 and as a result thebridge piece 53 will bridge the contacts 51 and the motor will beconstantly in operation. When the fabric is worn through as a result ofthe wearing action of the abrasive surface 15 the tension on the device21 will be released, and as a result the spring 56 will function toelevate the bridge piece 53 out of contact with the contacts 51therefore ceasing the operation of the motor 35.

In order to register or indicate the extent of wearing or frictionalaction required for wearing through the fabric there is provided adevice 60 in the form of a register or counter having an arm 61 which isen-.

countered by the head 62 which secures one end of the pitman 48 to thedisk 47 in each revolution of the disk. In that way the number ofrevolutions of a moving part will be registered in the device 60 thusindicating to a person the extent of action required for wearing througha particular piece of fabric. Fabrics having great wear resistingproperties will be subjected to a longer wearing action than fabricshavin lesser wearing ualities and this will be indicated by figuresisplayed by the device 60 as will be understood.

' It is to be understood that the invention is not restricted to theprecise arrangement of parts shown and described, as details ofconstruction may be modified and rearranged without departing from thespirit of the invention, the sco e of which is limited only by theterms-of t e appended claims.

I claim:

1. A fabric testing machine comprising wearing means, fabric supportingmeans for supporting. a piece of fabric in place with respect to thewearing means, tensioning means for maintaining a portion of the pieceoffabric in contact with the wearing means .to be subjected to thewearing action thereof, means imparting movement to the portion of theplece of fabric beingl subjected to the wearing action, power mec anismfor actuating the wearing means, indicating means responsive to the oeration of a mov- I wearing through the portion of the piece ofv fabricsubjected to the wearing action, and means operable when the piece offabric is worn through for ceasing the operation of the power mechanism.

2. In a fabric testing machine, mechanism for subjecting the fabric to awearing action, said mechanism including a rotatis arranged andsupported, a pivotally mounted clam for gripping one end of the fabric,aweig it suspended from the other end oftlie fabric, said clamp andweight constituting a means for placing the fabric under tension with aportion thereof in contact with the abrasive surface of the roll, saidpower means including a controlling device for controlling the operationof the.

power means, said controlling device being under the influence of a partof said clamp until the fabric is worn through under the action of theabrasive surface whereupon said. controllingdevice functions automati-'cally to cease the operation of the power means.

4. In a fabric testing mach ne, mechanism for subjecting the fabric to awearing.

action, said mechanism including a wearing means, means for continuouslymoving the wearing means and means imparting move ment to a portion ofthe fabric relatively to the wearing means in contact therewith, said 40last mentioned means including an oscillatory member engageable with thefabric for imparting movement thereto.

5.- In :a testing machine, a .rotatably mounted roll having acylindrical abrasive surface, an electric motor, a driving means betweenthe roll and the motor by. virtue ofwhich said roll is rotated, holdingand tensioning means for holding av portion of a piece of material undertension incontact with the abrasive surface so as to be sub- ,jectedto'thewearing action of the abrasive surface as a result of the rotationof the roll, means which coacts with the holding and tensioning meansfor ceasing thetoper'ation of the motor immediately the material is wornthrough, and an odometer. operatedby a driven part .of said drivingmeans.

6. In a testing machine, a -rotatably mounted roll having a cylindrical.abrasive surface, an' electricfmotor, a driving means between the rolland the motor by virtue of which said roll is. rotated, holding andten-' sioning means for holding a portion of a piece of material undertension in contact with the abrasive surface so astobe subjected to thewearing action of the abrasive surface as a result of the rotation ofthe roll, an oscillator having means for engaging' aportion of thematerial, means connected between the oscillator and a driven part ofsaid drivingfmea'ns for oscillating the oscillator to cause thereciprocatory movement of the portionof themate'rial in contact withsaid abrasive surface, means whichiicoacts with the holding andtensioning means .for ceasing the operation of the motor immediately'the material is worn driven part of said driving means.

7. In a testing .machine, a rotatably mounted abrasive element, anelectric-circuit, an electric motor in said circuit, a

through, and an odometer operated by a.

switch in said circuit, a make and break device in said circuitautomatically operable to break the circuit, driving' means between theabrasive element and the motor for effecting the rotation of theabrasive element, holding andtensioning means for holding -a portion. ofa piece of material in contact with the abrasive element so as tobesubjected to. the wearingaction thereof. in the rotation of saidabrasive element, said holding and tensioning neans including a movablepart which actuates the make and break device to close the circuit whenthe holding and tensioning means is functioning to tension said piece offabric, said movable part being free to move when 'the material 18 wornthrough to permit'themake and break deviceto operate to break thecircuit to cease the operation of the motor. I

8. In a testing machine, a .rotatably mounted .roll havmg a cylindricalabrasive surface, power means for rotating said roll, holding andtensioning means for holdlng material to be tested under tension incontact with the abrasive surface so as to be subjected to the wearingaction of the abrasive surface as a result of the rotation of the roll,means operated by the power means for impartingmovement to the materialand constantly keeping said material in motion relatively to theabrasive surface in contact therewith, and means which coacts with theholding and tensioning means for ceasing

